The Godhead
Another term in the New Testament that is relative to God is “the Godhead”. The word refers to that which is Divine, to Deity, involving God’s revelation of His own mode of being (Acts 17:29). “… we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver or stone, graven out by man’s device.”
Colossians 2:9 says that “For in Him (that is Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Romans 1:19,20 also says that “For the invisible things of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead…”
The Bible reveals that the Eternal Godhead consist of three persons who are the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 3:16-17; 1 John 5:7-8; John 14:6-17). The very fact that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are linked together in the baptismal command (Matthew 28:19) shows that there is co-existence, equality in nature, power and attributes, as well as eternity of being.
The statement of faith at the beginning of this article declares that “the Eternal Godhead has revealed Himself as one God existing in three Persons; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; distinguishable, but indivisible in essence, co-eternal; co-equal and co-existent in attributes, power, nature and glory.” Saying this another way, God is one undivided and indivisible Essence, but in the one true God there are three eternal distinctions; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Although the Bible never tries to prove the Person of God, it does reveal the personality of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus when we speak of the Persons in the Eternal Godhead, it is not used in the ordinary sense as used of human persons. The Scriptures clearly show that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit each have the Characteristics and qualities of personality. Although these qualities may be different (which will be discussed in a later article), they are inseparable. The word “trinity” was introduced by Tertullian, one of the early Church Fathers, to generally define the teaching concerning the Godhead. It simply means “three in one” or “threefold”. Though the word “trinity” is not used in the Scriptures, the words “three” and “one” are used and a consideration of these words reveal that the God of the Bible is triune in nature and being.
The God of the Bible is revealed as triune in nature and being. From Genesis to Revelation, whether it is by type or symbol, pattern or created things, shadows or theophanic, revelation or manifestation, or whether it be by clear declaration, Scripture shows that God is always revealed as “One in Three” and “Three in One”, that is, a trinity.
Let us consider the truth that God is one and God is three, as set forth in the Scriptures. In doing so, we find that in the Biblical revelation of God, there are two streams of Scripture concerning His Person and these are; God is one, and God is three.
It is important to remember that if either of these streams are over-emphasized then heresy results. If the stream of Scriptures concerning the fact that God is one is overemphasized, then we lapse into the heresy of Unitarianism, that is, a numerical number one God which is professed by many lost religions. On the other hand, if the stream of Scriptures is over-emphasized concerning the fact that God is three, then it results in the heresy of Tritheism, that is, the worship of three separate Gods which is not plausible. It is here that great exegetical balance must be exercised. It is well to remember the phrase previously used in the Statement of Faith, that “we believe in one God, existing in three Persons, distinguishable, but indivisible.”
God is one – that is indivisible
God is Three – that is, distinguishable
The study of the oneness of God must always be in connection with the threeness of God, and the study of the threeness of God must always be in conjunction with the revelation of the oneness of God. Otherwise, either extreme can become heresy. There is a great need for Scriptural balance in really explaining the Godhead.
